Sunday, June 25, 2006

Only a Weblog

Having just noticed the hit counter at the bottom of the page, I'm wondering what the "critical mass" for Web readership in Thanet is.

At the present rate of increase we should see 200,000 passed before the Autumn, hardly comparable with the number of visits to the most popular World Cup site, a billion or so per week but reasonably respectable for a community as small as ours.

When I first started this, I had hoped that others would volunteer as 'editors' and columnists, a bit like Wikipedia but this never quite happened, 'volunteers' being rather thin on the ground.

I need to manage expectations though. This Weblog has no overt political purpose, regardless of what some readers might think or write, I drop in spontaneous content, like now, when I can and to keep it running, as a result, the quality varies but I have a day job or jobs too and finding the time to Blog and work can be a real challenge if like me you're spending six hours per day flying.

I've just ordered a 'Blackberry', so I can keep up with everyone's emails and insults on the road; sometimes in the air too. Mind you, a trend that disturbs me of late is the spiteful negativity that has reared its ugly head in the personal comments that occasionally appear on this weblog. But if we manage to make even small differences in the issues that concern local people, politics, planning, crime and more, isn't that better than the vacuum that existed before this weblog started?

12 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Dr Moores I would love to be able to cotribute more to this site but being one of the uneducated i:e not going to uni as sutch i still have a view on life, Leaving school at 15 and joining the Royal Navy i have probably seen more of life than most. Saying that i have spent many yrs studying at the university of life and have come to the conclusion that a few of the comments on your site are from folks with tunnel vision or an agenda this i find somewhat disturbing. Its time i think for some folks to step back and take a wider view of life.

It takes all sorts to make a world,so it follows the same must be true for a Bloggist.One's view on life is coloured by those around us,the things we see and read go a long way to creating a well rounded understanding of our world.There is a place for all of us in the scheme of things,so please do not let a few bad comments spoil the enjoyment of these blogs,A lot of good can be done with a few well chosen words,but that could all be negated by unreasoned arguement and ignorance.I like all different styles of blogand would not like to be put in a position to side with any particular one.It is possible to both be serious and have a laugh,Blog On

I read most of the Thanet blogs and appreciate the true variety that exists. I enjoy your blog but unfortunately the serious content does on occasion bring the heavy prejudices out, especially from the various anon. I do not believe that personal criticism can be taken seriously from those not known to you personally and is probably better taken with a pinch of salt. I will continue to read and accept each blog for it's difference which is what makes life so rich.

Dr Moores, I agree with you that hostile and negative personal do not enhance these pages at all. I think that those made by Councillor Wise about his Opposition "colleague" Councillor Green in another strand were especially disgraceful, and you should seek a public apology from him. That sort of behaviour is quite unnecessary.

9 36 Why read? why comment?The general spite levels in some of the comments reveal some serious self-esteem issues. I think DrM should just close this site and leave the saddos to wallow in their own lonely lives. I'm sick of reading spite.Grown ups? intellectuals? Don't make me laugh.

If it's 'just a blog', why do you style it 'Thanet's Alternative Newspaper?' And if it is 'Thanet's Alternative Newspaper', isn't it fair game? Just like you have a go at the Gazette at every opportunity?

Remember this is only a blog, the author is entitled write or say whatever he wants and good luck. I just want to have fun myself and write a few rongs if anyone wants to have a bitch good luck to them. Of course we all take our selves to seriously, even dare I say Eastcliff Richard who seems a little more mellow since his return from the Cayman Islands

Another particularly unpleasant and spiteful visitor at 9:36 I see. Six hours is not unusual in a day.Today I logged just over two hours, an easy day, of which 90 minutes was over central London in a twin engined aircraft. As for the Maypole question I understand that I am qite free to lift "Non-commercial" banners from the airfield so please go away and bother someone else!

You choose to put your site on an open internet,then proceed to publish what some people justifably consider to be racist ,homophobic and other derogatory comments in the name of free speech all the while constantly boasting and self promoting "Dr.Moores"

If you do not like the responces you get the quicker you take down the site or restrict it to your happy band of sycophants the better